Ryan

The general determining factor in whether a person gets sentenced to jail or to prison depends upon the offense they were convicted of. Misdemeanor crimes are those punishable by a year or less in jail. Felonies are punishable by more than a year in prison (this may vary slightly by jurisdiction). Prisons are generally run by the state or federal government and house inmates convicted of felonies. Jails are generally locally run and house individuals convicted of misdemeanors.

Is this a hard and fast rule? Can individuals charged with serious felonies ever be held in jails? If so, under what circumstances? For how long?

Solution Description

First of all let’s understand what are Federal prisons and Jails :

Federal Prisons. The federal prison system, administered by the Bureau of Prisons is designed to house men and women who have, for the most part, violated federal laws. Federal prisons are among the most heavily guarded in the nation and provide maximum security. These institutions are intended to house those convicted of serious felonies—murder, rape, kidnapping, treason, and the like. These are generally considered to be the most serious of crimes, and the criminals here are considered to be the most violent and dangerous. The prisons bui